Pastor Joseph R. Brown, Sr. is an Ordained Itinerant Elder in the AME Church. He is a native of Coosaw Island, Beaufort, SC.  He is married to Carolyn B. Brown and is the very proud father of four beautiful daughters and a son, Victoria Moriah, Janelle Chastity, JoAnna Elizabeth, ViVianne Carol and Joseph Ray, Jr.

Pastor Brown served as a pastor in the 7^th Episcopal District for 20 years. During his 20 years of ministry, he held a pastorate at four charges prior to coming to the 2^nd Episcopal District where he currently serves. He served as Pastor of James Chapel AME, Lugoff, SC (six years); Mount Hebron AME, Prosperity, SC (five years); Pleasant Grove AME, Newberry, SC (six years) and Greater Mt. Pisgah AME, St. Matthew, SC (three years).  At all pastoral appointment, young people became involved, intergenerational ministry with our elderly took place and a significant amount of men either joined and or returned to the churches. The fruit especially of the men have remained. He was asked to preach the Pastor’s Anniversary at his first charge in April 2016 and saw many of the men still in place serving in the household of faith. Truly, to God be the glory.

Pastor Brown transferred into the 2^nd Episcopal District in 2017. He was assigned the pastorate of St. Paul AME – Dickerson, MD at the 68^th Session of the Washington Annual Conference. On July 28, 2020, he was assigned the pastorate of Wayman Good Hope AME, Severna Park, MD. It has been Pastor Brown’s esteemed honor and privilege to serve God’s people at the charges he has been appointed and is extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve and minister to His sheep.

Pastor Brown earned his bachelor’s degree in Social Studies with a minor in Business Education from Benedict College in Columbia SC, a master’s degree in School Administration from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is certified by the state of Maryland as an Administrator in Education with his Advance Professional Certificate License. He is also certified with the South Carolina Department of Education as a Secondary Supervisor and Principal. He has done additional graduate studies at the University of South Carolina, the Citadel and Yale Universities.

Pastor Brown has worked with the Interfaith Community, Lexington Richland Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council (LRADAC), Professional Counseling Agencies and many other treatment facilities and outreach centers.  In 1997 he was certified as a Primary Prevention Specialist with the SC Association of Prevention Professionals and Advocates (SCAPPA).  He was also certified in 1991 as an Operating Room Specialist with the United States Army.  He has worked as a mentor with the MENTOR AT THE GATE Program; he was a community advocate with the Boys and Girls Club for many years and a Juvenile Arbitrator for our youth.

He served as Program Director of Bethel AME Learning Centers, Columbia SC, which provided supervision and management for the Child Development Center, the Bethel Academy (1^st -5^th grades), and the Excellence in Education Afterschool Program (1^st -8^th grades). He taught Economics, Global Studies, U.S and American Government and African American History at Columbia High School, Columbia SC. At Blythewood Academy, Blythewood SC, he served as Department Chair, Diversity Coordinator and United Way Coordinator.

This preacher-teacher has a broad and varied base of experiences spanning education, business and community service.  He was one of the Member Managers of a corporation he and his wife founded that was involved in major business development, primarily targeting the inner cities, and low income individuals to provide affordable housing to principally low income residents for 12 years.  Their desire was to draw the religious community’s attention to the advantages of redeveloping and investing in less visible communities.  He strives to demonstrate productivity and leadership in the advancement of teaching group economics and politics to churches and community groups. 

Under the leading of the Holy Spirit Pastor Brown made the decision to transfer from the 7^th Episcopal District and the Richland County District Two School system to the 2^nd Episcopal District and the Prince George Public School system.  The decision was difficult. However, he and his wife believe that this is what the Lord would have them to do in this season. They believe that this move would provide greater opportunities for growth and development in the field of education and ministry. Pastor and Sister Brown fully understand that education and liberation through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit is at the core of growing God’s people from the inside out. This is essential for our Zion to be a viable force in the communities in which they serve. To all that is said above, he gives praise and glory to his Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ!

Rev. Dr. Charles Walker, Retired A.M.E. Pastor of the Baltimore Conference, grew up in Annapolis, MD, and was educated in Anne Arundel County Schools.  He is also a retired School Teacher after having taught for 33 years in the Anne Arundel County Public School System. Rev. Dr. Walker attended Maryland State College where he earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Science in 1965. After teaching for many years and working and serving at Asbury Broadneck United Methodist Church, he accepted the call to ministry, and enrolled at the Howard University School of Divinity where in 1994 he earned his Master of Divinity Degree. He received his Doctorate of Ministry degree in 1996 from the Family Bible Seminary in Baltimore, MD.   In 1998, Rev. Dr. Walker was ordained as an Itinerant Elder in the Washington Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

While a student at Howard University, Rev. Dr. Walker was privileged to pastor two churches, Wards Memorial U.M. Church, and Franklin U.M. Church. Rev. Dr. Walker served on the Ministerial Staff at Wayman Good Hope A.M.E. Church in Severna Park, MD  until he was appointed in 2002 as the Pastor of St. John A.M.E. Church in Bishopville, MD, which is in the Baltimore Conference of the A.M.E. Church. In 2012 he was appointed to the Preston Circuit Charge on the Eastern Shore serving two churches, Coppins A.M.E. Church and Ross A.M.E. Church.

His outstanding work as Pastor, Preacher, Church Builder, and Administrator were celebrated in the Spring of 2018 at his retirement banquet. Clearly, Rev. Dr. Walker has distinguished himself as a gifted servant for the Lord!

Rev. Dr. Walker recently joined the Ministerial Staff of Wayman Good Hope A.M.E. Church. Rev. Dr. Walker brings years of pastoral experience, though he insists that he is not ready for any heavy assignments. He says that he wants to simply enjoy being at his home church which is only a few minutes from his home.

Rev. Dr. Walker and his wife, Lillie, recently celebrated 53 years of marriage. They have two children, Trina and Renardo; and three grandchildren, Charles, Justus, and Malachi. The Wayman Good Hope Church Family is delighted to have Rev. Dr. Walker and his family back home, and we pray that his gifts in ministry will be a blessing to our entire Church Family and the community where we serve.